An officer and a ‘crook’

NEW DELHI: A Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force seems to have brought infamy to a new low with his second court-martial for corruption, this time around for bank fraud. According to Air Force sources, Wing Commander Vishwanathan, posted at Hindon, the IAF base on the outskirts of Delhi, has been court-martialed for fraudulently using the credit card of a fellow officer, and making a few lakh rupees worth of purchases and cash withdrawals.

The court-martial has recommended his dismissal without any privileges including the monthly pension. The recommendations have gone to the Western Air Headquarters in Delhi.

Sources say this is the second case of corruption in which Vishwanathan has been court-martialed. Earlier, he was tried and punished for misappropriation of funds when he was posted in Bhuj. He was then forced to reimburse losses suffered by the IAF and he also lost two years' seniority.

This time around,Vishwanathan and his family moved into a residence vacated by another Squadron Leader. He later impersonated him  and acquired the Squadron Leader’s credit card and spent the former’s money. 

This is only the latest in a series of corruption cases that has been rocking the military in recent times. There is a visible increase in the number of corruption cases in the military, especially those involving senior officers. In a detailed statement in Parliament during the just-concluded budget session, the Ministry of Defence said that 18 senior officers including a Lieutenant General and four Major Generals were facing inquiry for corruption charges.